People with disabilities in Katine sub-county have been given information materials on HIV/Aids prevention and treatment. The materials, which are available as audio recordings in local languages and in braille, are being distributed under a pilot scheme in Soroti district, in which Katine is located, by the National Union of Disabled Persons in Uganda (NUDIPU), an umbrella organisation of NGOs focusing on work with Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
According to Suleiman Kafero, the NUDIPU’s programme assistant on disability and HIV/Aids, most materials being distributed by other development organisations did not cater for disabled people, despite this group being particularly vulnerable to sexual exploitation and infection. Although there were no figures on HIV/Aids prevalence rates among PWDs in Uganda, evidence suggested that this group were increasingly likely to be sexually exploited, particularly women, making them a high risk group for infection. PWDs also experienced stigma and marginalisation when it came to accessing medical services and education about the virus.
“Our main aim is to avert the myth that people with disabilities are not sexually active, and are, therefore, HIV/Aids free,” said Kafero. “Ignorance on factual information has been, and is, a problem affecting PWDs and this is what we are fighting.” Kafero said NUDIPU recognised the fact that poverty among people with disabilities was one of the major reasons the virus was spreading.
Since the programme started, Kafero said 82 PWDs had disclosed they were HIV-positive. He believed the number could be much higher. After educating PWDs about HIV prevention and care, the NUDIPU will help set up support groups in the area. About 130,000 new HIV infections are recorded every year in Uganda, a trend that has caused concern among public health experts.
Post published in: News